Opening with a string section that invokes images of an army going off to battle, Leon Bridges achingly laments the price-tag that comes with fame on “Blue Mesas.”

His most vulnerable song to date, Bridges was initially hesitant to place it on the album. He touches on his insecurities with the way he looks while being in the limelight, as well as the loneliness that follows when he is surrounded by people who care more about his talent than him as a person. In the end, the R&B artist decided that channeling his pain into music and being transparent would keep him from turning to other vices for solace.

“Blue Mesas” never lands on a hopeful note, which is intentional as Bridges shared in an interview:

…I can’t even walk away from it. I can’t just say, Oh, yeah, like, I’m chill, and I’m not gonna be, you know, this guy anymore. It’s like, I’m locked in. You can’t really step away from who I am now.